(05
The man in front of me had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and eyes so deep–set they felt oddly familiar.
A cold, commanding presence radiated from him, silencing the crowd.
0
My Childhood Sweetheart Regrets Everything After I Dumped Him
He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped the tears from my face. “What happened to you?” he asked softly.
I stood frozen, stiff and uncertain in the presence of this stranger.
The silence was broken by the sound of Bruce clapping.
“Well played, Ysabelle. You actually went this far–hiring an actor to put on a show.”
He gave the man a once–over. “Looks unfamiliar. Did you pick a newbie so he wouldn’t be recognized?” The tension in the air dissipated.
“Hah, I really thought it was some big shot for a second there.”
“Please, after all these years of clinging to Bruce like a leech, how could Ysabelle possibly have a boyfriend?” Bruce let out a low chuckle. “Hey, man, how much are you getting paid for this? I’ll double it.”
At that moment, a memory suddenly surfaced.
Back in college, Bruce had to travel frequently to MGM to take on extra roles and gain experience. In just one month, he would make the trip back and forth several times.
To save money, he often took red–eye flights, arriving with bloodshot eyes and a sallow complexion.
I used to tease him, saying he cared more about money than his own life.
He laughed and said, “You don’t understand. Once I’ve saved enough, I have a surprise for you.”
At that moment, I had been overjoyed, my face flushing with anticipation.
Not long before that, I had mentioned to him that my second–hand laptop was on its last legs. I had no choice but to wait for my classmates to finish their work before borrowing theirs.
I thought–finally, he had me in his heart.
I started overthinking. Was he planning to confess?
Should I act a little reserved?
No! I’ve waited all these years for this moment!
Determined, I threw myself into work. I took a part–time job at the cafeteria, handed out flyers on the street, and stayed up late, typing tens of thousands of words to submit for publication.
All I wished for was to make money–quickly.
When I eagerly handed my hard–earned savings to Bruce, his joy was unmistakable.
He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, leaning his weight against me.
“Ah, as expected of childhood friends–we’re always in sync!”
Just as I was about to blush, his next words shattered the moment.
“This is perfect! Now I can finally buy that necklace Gia wants!”
“…Necklace?”
I stood frozen, not understanding what he meant.
“Yeah, Gia’s been eyeing a necklace lately. I had to pay double the price just to get it from a reseller.”
“Good thing you’re here, or I’d be living on scraps for the next month…”
His voice faded into background noise.
I looked down at my calloused hands, a bitter smile forming on my lips.
C
For so many years, I had loved Bruce to the point of losing myself–giving my heart, my devotion, my everything.
But now, it was time to wake up.
I slipped my arm around the other man’s, my voice calm and firm. “Sorry. I’m afraid, you can’t afford it.”
Bruce’s smirk slowly disappeared, his expression darkening.
For the first time, I–who had always obeyed him–had left him speechless.
12:15 PM
My Childhood Sweetheart Regrets Everything After I Dumped Him
Ignoring his calls, I tightened my grip on the stranger’s hand and walked away.
Once we were outside, reality set in. I quickly pulled my hand back, my face heating up with embarrassment.
“Sorry about that… and thank you for today.”
It was my first time pretending to have a boyfriend.
“You should’ve done that a long time ago.”
“…What?”
I wasn’t sure if I had heard him right.
He smiled faintly and said, “Miss Montgomery, you should get your eyes checked sometime.”
Then, he handed me a business card. “We’ll meet again.
I stood there, stunned, watching as he walked away.
Lowering my gaze, I read the card.
Eclipse Entertainment – Terrence Wright.
The name sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it.
Before I could dwell on it, my phone rang.
“Ysabelle, are you selling the rights to Bright Moon, Shining Stars or not? Where the hell are you?”
I responded immediately, “Selling! But this time, I have one condition…”
That night, my best friend, Cherry, organized a drinking party to celebrate the sale.
Amid the flashing neon lights and clinking glasses, Bruce’s words echoed relentlessly in my mind- “With that ugly body of yours, would anyone even want you?”
It wasn’t about love anymore.
It was the gut–wrenching realization that all those years of devotion had been for nothing.
One drink after another, I downed several bottles, my face wet with a mix of tears and alcohol.
“Why do I always end up like this?”
“…Hmm?”
A familiar voice broke through my haze.
I turned around too quickly, losing my balance.
Fortunately, strong hands caught my waist, steadying me.
The sudden proximity made my breath hitch–so close that I could smell the faint scent of sandalwood lingering on Terrence.